Out with the old, and in with the new. The start of a new year is a time to act on your business’s big goals. Refresh your old, tired content and revamp your website for the new year to attract potential customers and bring new business to your page.
Now is the time to review your progress from the previous year and set new expectations for the year ahead. Consider whether you effectively reach your audience and showcase your brand’s core values. Is your business a key player in the industry? If not, how can you get there?
One important goal to focus on this year is building a positive online reputation—something that will help your business stand out and attract the right attention.
Take stock of your company and areas for improvement by implementing this list of 10 considerations:
1. Listen to Your Customers
You can’t maintain your reputation without knowing how others perceive you. It is essential to consistently stay aware of customers’ conversations and feedback about your brand. This might look like responding to positive and negative online engagement and thanking people for their feedback. Engaging in conversations with customers online gives them the sense that you’re taking their feedback to heart.
2. Claim Your Business Listings
If you want people to take you seriously as a professional organization, claim the online listings associated with your business. These include search engines like Yelp, Google, Bing, and FourSquare. Claiming your listings also ensures you have complete control and ownership over your brand management.
3. Improve the Customer Service Experience
Is it easy for customers to contact you and troubleshoot their concerns? While having a web presence is essential, make sure your website has updated features. These include working phone numbers, emails, and chat features that allow customers to communicate quickly and conveniently.
When it comes to the service experience, customers want transparency. Resolve issues quickly to satisfy customers and prevent them from airing their grievances on social media.
4. Humanize Yourself
Marketing efforts should remind your customers that real people with core values exist behind the brand. When you make mistakes, don’t give customers the run-around; humble yourself and apologize. Have a sense of humor and enjoy interacting with your customers. When people see you as one of them, they will be inclined to support you and what you stand for.
5. Post Relevant Content
The content you publish directly impacts your reputation. Your customers should trust your brand to give them factual, relevant information in a creative way. Customers will use your website and social media pages to determine whether they want to interact with your business, so make your online presence meaningful.
6. Ask for Recommendations
People want to do business with people they know and trust. Research shows that most people read online reviews and recommendations before making a purchase. Ask customers who were satisfied with their experience to provide testimonials and reviews of your services. Feedback from previous customers will go a long way in legitimizing your business and attracting potential new customers.
7. Create a Brand Management Strategy
Create a reputation management strategy to take control of your brand’s public perception. Strategically post content to your website and social platforms to help meet your goals. Familiarize yourself with search engine optimization and develop a marketing plan to get your business noticed in search results.
This may include using relevant keywords, building content that answers the questions your target audience is asking, creating strong meta descriptions, building backlinks, improving page loading speed, and creating engaging social media posts.
8. Use Social Media
When used effectively, social media can be a powerful tool. Regularly posting compelling updates and engaging with customers can boost your reputation.
A strategic starting point is to track keywords and hashtags relevant to your business and industry. Pay attention to the competition as well. What are they posting about and sharing? What are people saying about their business? Join industry conversations by sharing content that is informative and relevant.
9. Give Back
Community outreach is an important part of any business. It allows customers to get to know you better and understand your values and your organization’s mission. Customers are shopping more conscientiously than ever before and want to stand behind companies whose values they support.
10. Consider Outside Help
Some businesses cannot manage their reputations entirely on their own. If you’re feeling burdened or overwhelmed and unsure of how to begin, consider hiring an agency specializing in reputation management. But remember, do your research to find the agency that’s the best fit for you. Read reviews and customer testimonials, check out their portfolio, and ensure they can manage their own reputation before hiring them to manage yours.
Seize the chance for new beginnings and implement these suggestions to improve and protect your online presence. If you need help managing your brand’s reputation this new year, consider working with an online reputation agency for your brand management and business reputation needs.